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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24043486">Trapped in a Storm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiecasyl/pseuds/cassiecasyl'>cassiecasyl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Prompt Jar [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ambiguous/Open Ending, Canon Universe, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, I'm Bad At Titles, Iron Man to Rescue, OFC is a little girl, Peter Parker Lacks Self-Preservation Instincts, Peter Parker is Trying His Best, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Protective Peter Parker, Selfless Peter Parker, Storm - Freeform, Stubborn Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Trapped, Worried Peter Parker, Worried Tony Stark, a tree falls on them, trapped during a storm, written for a prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:22:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,542</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24043486</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiecasyl/pseuds/cassiecasyl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter finds a little girl in an abandoned warehouse while he's out on patrol during a storm. They get trapped in said warehouse as a tree falls and knocks down the wall next to them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Karen (Spider-Man: Homecoming) &amp; Peter Parker, Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Prompt Jar [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789972</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Trapped in a Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Peter entered the building with a searching gaze. He’d followed the cries he detected earlier to this very building, an old abandoned warehouse with holes in the roof and windows, shattered glass and garbage on the ground. Finally, his eyes found the little girl who sat there alone with her head in her hands, sobbing loudly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” he approached her slowly, letting his voice just slightly hover over the chatter of wind and rain that knocked on the shed, demanding to be let in. The girl looked up, her brown eyes swollen from crying and big with fear and confusion. Something hit against the wall, sending a loud bang throughout the hall and the girl jumped. Peter crouched down next to her, keeping his distance as to not scare her even more and stretched his open hand towards her in a calming manner. “It’s okay. We’re gonna be okay.” The promise seemed to relax her a bit. “Do you know who I am?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re Spider-Man,” she answered in a small, strained voice, then suddenly giggling she continued, “You’re gonna save me!” Hope had stolen a bit of the fear out of the kid’s eyes, and Peter smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s right,” he reveled in the child’s faith as much as it scared him. What if he couldn’t? After all, there was a massive storm outside and he had no idea how far from home the girl was. “What’s your name?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Leila.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a beautiful name. Hi Leila, I’m Spider-Man.” She laughed, their predicament quickly forgotten. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, dummy!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oi, I’m smart! I got an A in chemistry! And one time I got Iron Man so confused he was convinced that two plus two equals three.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leila snorted delighted, “But two plus two is four! I’m five and even I know that!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow, you’re a clever little cookie!” he said, earning another set of laughter from her. She’d completely forgotten the storm outside by now, and Peter hoped to keep it that way till he could see a way out of here. For now, staying indoors, however bad it was, looked saver than trying to find their way home through the gusting winds.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, Peter still didn’t know how Leila ended up here. “Anyway, what lead you here? Doesn’t look like a fun place to be.” Immediately, tears started welling up in her eyes again and Peter cursed internally. Okay, bad idea. Backtrack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m lost,” she cried out. The Spiderling’s heart broke at the sight and he moved in to embrace her in his arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh, it’s okay,” he shushed her while slightly rocking them, “we’re gonna get you home, don’t worry.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat there for a while, Leila clinging to the superhero and Peter listening to the rain’s drumbeat for any sign of it finally lessening. It was quiet else, and Peter hadn’t noticed how cold it had gotten until Leila shivered and nestled closer. “Karen, can you turn the heat up?” he asked, ignoring the questioning look he got from the girl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right away, Peter,” the AI seemed contempt though worried, but that was nothing new. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s Karen?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Karen is my AI. She’s in my suit and she’s supercool. She can do a lot of things! Like heating us up, for example, so we don’t freeze to death.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow.” Seeing the amazement in child’s eyes never got old, Peter thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sudden loud creek disturbed the little bubble of safety they’d build. Peter looked around and checked the walls, even telling Karen to give him a scan while Leila shivered in his embrace. The scans came too late as a thick branch stooped through the window above them, followed by the wall coming undone. Peter could only turn to shield Leila before it collapsed above them. It was an explosion of splintered wood and little rusted pieces of metal swirling around them through the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, he breathed in dust and rubble, and Leila was forgotten in his arms. He was buried underneath cracked stone, thrown upon him by the Vulture. His body was engulfed by the questionable safety of his old self-made suit, and his battered mask greeted him from the puddle underneath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Come on, Spider-Man! </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sharp pain stabbed into his foot and traveled up his leg, simultaneously guiding him back to reality and drawing a groan from him. To the later, Leila reacted by giving him a scared stare. Peter momentarily closed his eyes and set the air trapped in his lungs free, forcing himself to calm down for the girl’s sake. Not the time to freak out. He was the superhero here, after all. The broken wall came to a halt with an ominous creek, and the cracking wood echoed throughout the room in an aftershock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Leila whispered, deer eyes filled with worry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” he answered, slowly moving them back to sitting position without straining the injured foot too much. “Yeah, I’m okay, Le. Don’t worry. Can I call you Le?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm,” she hummed and mustered him suspiciously, but then probably deciding to let it go for now. “I like Le.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It appears that you have fractured your toe and ankle and have caught some minor injuries in your right foot. Would you like me to alert Mr. Stark?” Karen now piped up and Peter almost laughed at her. Yeah, no shit his foot was wounded. It hurt like hell after all and was buried under what seemed part of an old tree that had been too weakened to survive the storm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. No need,” he told her and let her check Leila for any injuries instead. She was fine, which caused a bick rock to tumble from his heart.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Incoming call from Tony Stark.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No no no, don’t, Karen, I told you not to, please-!” Peter begged effortlessly as the call was patched through nonetheless. Why was he calling? Had Karen informed him despite his words? Had he some kind of sixth sense for when he was in danger? No, that was stupid. There was nothing now to prevent him from his fate.  He sighed and gave Leila a reassuring rub on her back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Peter, care to tell me what you’re doing in an abandoned warehouse in the outskirts of Queens instead of your aunt’s apartment in a storm like this?” Tony went right into it, much to his protegè’s dismay. His voice sounded on edge, mad and worried, and Peter kind of wished he wouldn’t know this tone all too well. He shuffled uncomfortably on his place on the ground and groaned as it sent a wave of pain up his leg. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Peter, what was that? Are you hurt?” Tony’s alarmed tone let Peter consider to tell the truth for a split second, but then again it wasn’t too bad and Tony didn’t need to worry about something he couldn’t change during the storm anyway, or so he thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, I’m alright. All good, what about you?” he joked in a casual manner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Peter-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you talking to Karen?” Leila now asked, her head shily bend as if scared to disturb yet the curiosity shining in her eyes had won over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Le, I’m talking to Iron Man.” Her eyes grew big at that, and she giggled slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s with you, Pete?” Tony’s voice changed from angry to businesslike in a shriveled heartbeat, knowing that getting them to safety was prior to being mad at Peter for getting into dangerous situations again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s Leila. She’s cool. She even knows a little bit of maths already.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know that two plus two equals four!” she bragged, sending Peter in a short lived laughing fit, only stopped by his foot furiously reminding him of reality. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You seriously told her that story?” Tony sighed, indicating that he had heard her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? It’s funny!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, first off, I was sleep-deprived, and secondly, that is not at all how that story went. You’re exaggerating. Oh, and thirdly, I’m coming because your AI just informed me that you totally lied to me about being fine.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Mr Stark, don’t! You can’t fly in this weather!” Peter argued, a million images of Tony being struck by lightning or being blown into the side of a building by the strong winds, followed by headlines that read “Tony Stark heavily injured,” or worse yet, “dead.” racing through his mind, and even sending tears to his eyes.<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch me!” Tony contered with a determination that left no place for arguments. He’d be coming. His throat was suddenly strangely clocked, leaving him suck in air shakily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t make me responsible for Iron Man falling out of the sky because he’s too stubborn to not fly in the middle of a freaking storm!” he exclaimed, his voice littered with anger and worry and love and all of the above and at the edge of breaking, but then he realised his mistake as his eyes fell on Leila. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Says the one who’s too stubborn to accept help. If I fall because of the storm, that’s on me, alright kid?” Peter almost whimpered, but the little girl’s presence kept him grounded. Now was not the time to freak out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is he coming to get us?” Leila asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Peter answered reluctantly, “Yes, he is.”     </span>
</p>
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